State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

water infrastructure

  • Questioning Mayor Adams’ Commitment to Protecting NYC’s Environment

    Questioning Mayor Adams’ Commitment to Protecting NYC’s Environment

    Mayor Adams is a superb advocate for environmental quality and environmental justice, but the city government he runs doesn’t always seem to follow through: New York City’s water infrastructure, decarbonization, and parks need additional staffing and funding if the promises made are to be fulfilled.

  • Floods and the Urgency of Climate Adaptation Infrastructure

    Floods and the Urgency of Climate Adaptation Infrastructure

    Typically, political processes depend on catastrophes and crises to motivate major programs and expenditures. Will it take a large-scale flooding disaster to generate the political support to fund a flood control system that meets our region’s needs?

  • America’s Groundwater Crisis

    America’s Groundwater Crisis

    The future of America’s water supply is an open question. The need for an adequate water supply is not open to question.

  • Jackson Mississippi and America’s Infrastructure Crisis

    Jackson Mississippi and America’s Infrastructure Crisis

    The collapse of the public water system in Jackson is far from unique. The combination of climate-accelerated extreme weather and infrastructure disinvestment ensures there will be many more Jacksons in our future.

  • The Danger of Infrastructure Incoherence

    The Danger of Infrastructure Incoherence

    Over 70% of the American public favors Biden’s stimulus plan and I suspect a similar number will support an infrastructure bill that will rebuild our roads and restore employment.

  • Dammed Funding for U.S. Dams

    Dammed Funding for U.S. Dams

    Across the nation, large-scale water infrastructure such as dams have provided a multitude of services, from electric power and water reservoirs to flood control and containment of pollution. But federal investments in large water infrastructure projects have largely been curtailed over the past few decades.

  • Presidential Politics: Water Supply and Contamination

    Presidential Politics: Water Supply and Contamination

    The federal government needs to develop and implement a plan to solve problems with our water infrastructure, pollution and growing scarcity. How will the next president act?

  • Protecting Our Drinking Water

    The reason we have federal water quality standards is to ensure that local economic issues, politics, racism or other factors do not control decisions about water supply. But in Flint, decisions on water supply were not subject to effective federal review.

  • The U.S. Water Challenge: Watch the Video

    The U.S. Water Challenge: Watch the Video

    Most American’s live with the expectation that fresh water will continue to flow freely from their faucets. The reality is that environmental degradation, an aging water infrastructure, water scarcity, job instability, and the ability to provide food for a growing population are now pressing issues.

Colorful banner image over Earth with text "Open House Discover Science, October 19, 2024, 10am to 4pm

Join us on Saturday, October 19, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Open House! Celebrate 75 years of science with us at our beautiful Palisades, NY campus. The event is free and open to everyone, with a suggested $5 donation. Learn More and RSVP

  • Questioning Mayor Adams’ Commitment to Protecting NYC’s Environment

    Questioning Mayor Adams’ Commitment to Protecting NYC’s Environment

    Mayor Adams is a superb advocate for environmental quality and environmental justice, but the city government he runs doesn’t always seem to follow through: New York City’s water infrastructure, decarbonization, and parks need additional staffing and funding if the promises made are to be fulfilled.

  • Floods and the Urgency of Climate Adaptation Infrastructure

    Floods and the Urgency of Climate Adaptation Infrastructure

    Typically, political processes depend on catastrophes and crises to motivate major programs and expenditures. Will it take a large-scale flooding disaster to generate the political support to fund a flood control system that meets our region’s needs?

  • America’s Groundwater Crisis

    America’s Groundwater Crisis

    The future of America’s water supply is an open question. The need for an adequate water supply is not open to question.

  • Jackson Mississippi and America’s Infrastructure Crisis

    Jackson Mississippi and America’s Infrastructure Crisis

    The collapse of the public water system in Jackson is far from unique. The combination of climate-accelerated extreme weather and infrastructure disinvestment ensures there will be many more Jacksons in our future.

  • The Danger of Infrastructure Incoherence

    The Danger of Infrastructure Incoherence

    Over 70% of the American public favors Biden’s stimulus plan and I suspect a similar number will support an infrastructure bill that will rebuild our roads and restore employment.

  • Dammed Funding for U.S. Dams

    Dammed Funding for U.S. Dams

    Across the nation, large-scale water infrastructure such as dams have provided a multitude of services, from electric power and water reservoirs to flood control and containment of pollution. But federal investments in large water infrastructure projects have largely been curtailed over the past few decades.

  • Presidential Politics: Water Supply and Contamination

    Presidential Politics: Water Supply and Contamination

    The federal government needs to develop and implement a plan to solve problems with our water infrastructure, pollution and growing scarcity. How will the next president act?

  • Protecting Our Drinking Water

    The reason we have federal water quality standards is to ensure that local economic issues, politics, racism or other factors do not control decisions about water supply. But in Flint, decisions on water supply were not subject to effective federal review.

  • The U.S. Water Challenge: Watch the Video

    The U.S. Water Challenge: Watch the Video

    Most American’s live with the expectation that fresh water will continue to flow freely from their faucets. The reality is that environmental degradation, an aging water infrastructure, water scarcity, job instability, and the ability to provide food for a growing population are now pressing issues.